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Online outrage has followed news reports of a fatwa against Christmas allegedly issued by an imam at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque. There have also been touches of humour from those tired of the seasonal hard sell. The original message has now been removed from their Facebook page:

The fatwa, which sparked widespread community debate and condemnation, warned that the “disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight path”.

It also says that Christmas Day and associated celebrations are among the “falsehoods that a Muslim should avoid … and therefore, a Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to congratulate them”.

At the Punch blog, journalist Anthony Sharwood has taken the matter seriously, despite a flippant tone:

Talk about a load of ding-dong delivered merrily from on high.

…The thing about Christmas in Australia, as in much of the western world, is that it transcends religion.

Anthony is not alone in believing that that a fatwa is something that is “declared on…” rather than being a religious opinion or ruling. Some even seem to believe that it is a death sentence or jihad.

While the rest of the blogosphere has been simply reposting the mainstream media reports, twitter is aflutter.

Apparently, the “Lebanese Muslim Association, which runs the mosque, says the comments were taken out of context and the group harbours no anti-Christmas sentiment” according to ABC News. They have been replaced with a message of good will.